The Wishful Thinking Syndrome
by Cowlamity
Summary: How Agent Kay lost his smile. Can he get it back?
1. Default Chapter

The Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 1  
  
"Tell me Alpha, for what reason should I help you? The materials you request are hard to find even on this planet, and to give them in the quantities you seek may be enough to cause some harm to our economy. What could you possibly give in return?"  
  
Baseen, ruler of Stanbaer turned his gargoyle-like body away from one of the windows of his private chambers to face the creature behind him. He liked Alpha, now that his appearance currently resembled that of his late father, and was willing to grant him a private audience.  
  
Alpha smiled, looking for all the world of Stanbaer like the fatherly mentor he intended. "I understand you've been preparing to travel to Earth for the intergalactic diplomatic conference being held there."  
  
"Yes, Earth's neutrality makes it the perfect location."  
  
"For those who have not worn out their welcome."  
  
Baseen flinched ever so slightly. Alpha's words were said in a kind tone but they had cut into him. After briefly closing his eyes, he made a move to defend himself. "I was younger then, and acted without really thinking. How could I have done anything else? She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I am the ruler of this planet now, and no longer under my father. It was his decision to cut off ties to Earth, not mine."  
  
"Do you hope to see her then? Catch a glimpse of her?"  
  
Baseen looked out the window again, the one that faced the direction of Earth. "Since that most glorious of nights there hasn't been a day I haven't thought of her. Talked of her. Dreamed. That one night I had my true love beside me and she was snatched away. They said she was too young."  
  
"By Stanbaeran standards only," Alpha soothed, "not by those of Earth."  
  
"Still my father sent her away, and even I can't change that law. Father made sure of it."  
  
"Well, my lovesick friend, I happen to know of something that will be of great interest to you. I happen to know she is about to have a very special birthday at the time of the conference. One that will make her of marriageable age."  
  
For a brief moment hope gleamed in Baseen's eyes and he turned back to Alpha, then the gleam died. "She is still of Earth. There's no way I can hope she hasn't married already, beautiful as she was. Those hypocrites..."  
  
"I have occasionally seen her of late, from time to time," interrupted Alpha. "And I can assure you that no one has touched her mind and body as you have before or since. For the rest of my involvement with MIB I made sure of it, and since I left she has showed little sign of changing on her own."  
  
"Why? How can that be possible?" There was hope in his eyes again. "Why would such a lovely flower remain unplucked?"  
  
Alpha smiled again. "Why do you think?"  
  
Baseen's eyes blazed as he slowly smiled. "She loves me?" He grabbed Alpha by the shoulders and shook him in his excitement. "Tell me she loves me!"  
  
Alpha merely smiled wider and laughed. It was all the answer Baseen needed.  
  
"Quickly! Tell me of her!"  
  
Oh, you should see her, Baseen! Her body has filled out very nicely since you saw her last, and she has grown ALL of her skin back! True, the hair hasn't been quite the same since, but that's easily taken care of."  
  
"A chance!" Breathed Baseen. "I have another chance!"  
  
"Not quite. Not has long as the MIB has anything to say about it."  
  
"The MIB? What reason would they have to interfere now?"  
  
"They have this rule. She has to be WILLING..."  
  
"But you said she loves me. How much more willing does she have to be?"  
  
"That wasn't quite what I said. They neuralized that night away from her. She doesn't remember you."  
  
Baseen shook his head. "No...!"  
  
"Look at it this way, Baseen. It is as though she's still a virgin, though deep in the recesses of her subconscious I'm sure part of her still remembers you. I saw it in her eyes during my last years with MIB. It was still there when I saw her last. Though I don't know for how much longer she will be able to keep her mind and body pure."  
  
Baseen froze. "What do you mean?"  
  
"It's Zed. You remember Zed, don't you? Introduced the two of you. Took over MIB when I left and out of jealousy has sent her out on all of the most dangerous missions. She's been constantly out in the open, in harm's way, with a partner even more young and inexperienced then she is. I sure you haven't been the only one to notice what a tasty morshal she is. She must be protected."   
  
"Protected..."  
  
"You can save her."  
  
"I will," said Baseen determinedly. "This I swear." He looked back at Alpha, uncertain again. "But how?"  
  
"Leave that to me. Give me what I ask and in a mere matter of days Agent Kay will be back in your loving arms safe and sound.   
Lickety-split." 


	2. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 2

Wishful Thinking Syndrome Part 2  
  
  
ADVERTISEMENT  
  
  
  
Alpha and Baseen talked for the rest of the night, making plans   
for the trip to Earth. Just outside Baseen's inner chamber, his   
mother Darreal was listening. To a person of Earth she looked just   
like a man from ancient Japan, save for a light scaliness to her   
hairless skin. At the sound of movement, she stood up from the bench   
she was sitting on, quickly adjusting her robes and ducking out of   
sight. She peeked through from the other side of some curtains and   
watched as Alpha left. She knew that Alpha had changed sides, but   
she still didn't trust him.  
  
With Alpha a safe distance away she dared a peek into the inner   
chamber and saw her son clutching a dark fabric to his chest. It was   
the MIB jacket that had been torn from the Earth man and then   
carefully mended those many years ago.  
  
Baseen dipped his sensitive nose down to inhale the slight scent   
that had managed to linger after all these years, bringing back the   
memory of when he first met Kay. It had been during the   
Intergalactic Diplomatic Conference and his first and only visit to   
Earth. He had been standing in a ballroom with his parents and the   
then head of MIB, Alpha. "I didn't know Earth women were so   
beautiful!" he had said to his father. "And not a one of them look   
like they've ever been so much as laved even once!" Ragar cleared   
his throat and his mother smiled indulgently. "I think you forget   
son." said his father. "These are earth *men*." Any response Baseen   
would have given faded away as he spied a well proportioned one   
walking by. "Excuse me", he said to the others absently, leaving   
them to catch up with the beautiful being slipping away from him. In   
a moment he had caught up and took the MIB agent's shoulder to stop   
and turn his quarry around. "You're a sleek one," he purred to the   
human. "And what might your name be?"  
  
The target blinked in surprise and stammered. "Uh, I'm Agent   
Zed. The human seemed nervous and looked about, before reaching out   
to a passing figure and pulling it into view. "And uh, this is Agent   
Kay,"  
  
Baseen tore his eyes from Zed and looked at the new arrival to   
see a vision of loviness so great that he was struck speechless.   
Several silent moments passed as he drank in the beauty of the MIB   
agent before him. Vaguely he heard his mother's voice. "...aren't   
you going to say hello to the nice human?" she was repeating.  
  
Agent Kay broke the awkward moment by taking both hands to one   
of Baseen's large one's and shaking it. "Hello!" beamed the human   
before him. "You must be one of the Frellillians!"  
  
Baseen continued to stare. What a lovely smile this human had,   
and that voice! All too soon the human let go of his hand.   
  
"Oh. Heh! Forgive me if I was too bold. This is my first year   
with MIB and I still haven't gotten used to meeting off-worlders."  
  
His mother was smiling. "We are not Frellillians. We originate   
from the planet Stanbaer."  
  
"Stanbaerians?" asked Kay, smiling innocently.  
  
Baseen knew then that his heart was lost. 


	3. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 3

Baseen's thoughts stopped when he noticed a presence in his inner chamber. He looked up to see the only being that had ever entered uninvited and got away with it besides his father.  
  
"Mother." He sighed in frustration. "That was supposed to be a private audience. How much did you hear?"  
  
"Everything," said Darreal sadly.  
  
"And?" He was carefully folding the jacket to put it away.  
  
"You're determined to go through with it then? After how it turned out before?"  
  
"It won't be like it was before..."  
  
"Yes it will Baseen, it will. Our body fluids are deadly to them."  
  
"Our medical technology has improved since then. Besides, didn't it hurt you, the first time?"  
  
Darreal lightly touched her cheek then looked at her hand, seeing the light covering of scales that had been her skin since she had lost her less mature, more human like skin to her husband during her first laving. "It was different for me. Human skin is not designed to come off."  
  
"It will be all right. I'll be more gentle this time, go more slowly."  
  
"There is no way such an act would be gentle to him."  
  
Baseen gave his mother a sharp glare. "You will not refer to her as 'him!'"  
  
"I WILL say 'him'. However much he looks it to us he is not a Stanbaerian female, and not all the wishing in the world will change that..."  
  
She reached out to touch her son, but he moved away and sharted to pace. "She is female in all the ways that matter to me! Only a Stanbaerian or human doctor can tell the physical differences between our females and their males. A difference that makes no difference IS no difference."   
  
"Those are Alpha's words..."  
  
"They are true words. She will be happy, I can give her everything! Wealth! Status! Protection!"  
  
"And who will protect him from you?"  
  
Baseen fell silent, keeping his back to his mother. He was clearly not listening but she still tried. "Humans have such short lives," she beseeched, "If you truly loved this earth creature let him live his."  
  
"That will be enough, Mother."  
  
"Baseen..."  
  
"Enough! Leave me!"  
  
Darreal sighed sadly. This was clearly another tragedy waiting to happen. Without another word she left her son's chambers, her steps becoming more determined as she walked. She had a call to make. 


	4. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 4

Zed was walking through the halls of MIB when he was paged. "Chief!"  
  
It was Agent U. "Call for you from Stanbaer." Zed was told, as the agent caught up with him.  
  
"Hmmm.... " Zed considered. It had been a long time since anyone from Stanbaer had made a personal call to him. Not since...  
  
"I'll take it in my office."  
  
Moments later he was sitting before his desk communicator. The face of Darreal had just come on the screen. "You have a lot of nerve calling here," Zed was saying. "After what you did to Kay! And thanks to what you later did to Alpha, Kay nearly died a second time. Do you realize even now all the DAMAGE you've caused?!"  
  
Darreal was silent long enough to acknowledge blame. "I know I deserved that."  
  
Awkward silence.  
  
"And how has Agent Kay been?"  
  
"He's turned out very well, no thanks to you!"  
  
More silence.  
  
"If you have nothing more to say..." Zed moved to break the connection.  
  
"Wait!" blurted Darreal. "I called to warn you."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Baseen is coming to Earth."  
  
Zed silently absorbed what he just heard as his face turned an angry red. Then he slammed his fist on his desk. "NO! He can't do that! It was mutually agreed that there was never again to be Stanbaerians on this planet! If it weren't for your family's diplomatic immunity you and your son would have had Hell to pay! You were just lucky that we wanted to keep this quiet as much as you did, for Kay's sake!"  
  
"Baseen is our ruler now,"  
  
Zed's angry red face drained with alarming speed to shocked white. "No...!" 


	5. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chpter 5

In the gym, Agent Jay was running on a treadmill. Nearby was Agent Kay, plumping iron. Jay was soon finished and got off, turning off the treadmill. Briefly he looked at the sight of his partner as the other continued to work out. Kay was in full sweatsuit. and it was drenched with sweat.  
  
"You'd be a lot cooler if you took your shirt off, y'know."   
  
Kay said nothing, continuing to exercise as his partner continued to talk. It was often this way between them.   
  
Jay walked over and placed his hand on Kay's shoulder. "How's it goin' buddy?"  
  
Kay abruptly stopped what he was doing and looked pointedly at the hand that was touching him.   
  
"Oops," Jay's eyes widened briefly as he quickly broke contact. "I keep forgetting." he beamed, still unfazed and smiling sheepishly. Kay began again as Jay moved toward the showers.  
  
As Jay took off his sportswear he continued his cheerful chatter, raising his voice to cover the greater distance now between them. "Y'know, one of these days, you're going to smile, and I just hope I'm there to see it. I saw you do it once. You made it look good, you should know that..."  
  
Soon Jay was under a showerhead, singing as the waterspray hit him. "...One way...or another...I'm gonna find ya...I'm gonna getchya, getchya, getchya. getchya..."  
  
Zed's voice came in over the intercom. "Agent Jay!"  
  
"Whu-oh!"  
  
"In my office. Pronto."  
  
"Sounds like trouble, Slick." Kay's voice drifted in from the exercise area. He had spoken for the first time in over an hour.  
  
"Aw, man! What did I do this time?" 


	6. Wishful Thinking Snydrome Chapter 6

As quickly as he could, Jay was dressed and at Zed's door. Nervously he looked in the office.  
  
"Come in, Son," Well, Zed didn't SOUND angry. "Have a seat," He gestured Jay to a chair. Jay sat down hopefully. Maybe this was just a heart to heart.  
  
"Coffee?"  
  
Jay relaxed and smiled. Zed never offered coffee to anyone who was in trouble. "Yes. Please."  
  
Curiously, Zed poured the coffee himself. "Sugar?"  
  
Jay sensed something was still wrong. Zed sounded tired. Even - defeated? "Sweetener."  
  
"Cream?"  
  
"Alright, Chief. Spill the beans. What happened?"  
  
"Nothing," smiled Zed.  
  
"Uh-huh. I'm not buying it."  
  
Zed sat down at his desk slowly, stalling for time to think on how he was going to approach this extremely sensitive topic.  
  
Folding his hands on the desk top, he thought some more; then, "I want Kay to take a vacation, and I need your help to convince him to do it. Lord knows he's earned it."  
  
Jay was intrigued. "That's cool. When?"  
  
"Now."  
  
"Now?" Jay was surprised.  
  
"For two...make that three weeks."  
  
"But Chief, the alien conference sharts this week. That's when MIB is needed most!"  
  
"Kay has not taken a real vacation in all the time he has been with the MIB. He needs this."  
  
Jay was silent. Then, "You want him out of town," he realized aloud.  
  
There was a long silence before Zed spoke again. "Kay's in danger. In more danger than he's ever been, and it's my fault."  
  
"Wha-what do you mean?"  
  
"It's time you knew the reason Kay is the way he is. How he lost his smile." 


	7. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 7

* * * * *  
  
Amused, Zed watched as the Stanbaerian towering over Kay took both the rookie's hands into his. Kay was sure to get back at Zed for this and he looked forward to the challenge. Agent Dee appeared at his side.  
  
"Looks like love at first sight," chuckled Zed to Kay's partner.  
  
"That was a bad thing you did, Zed." said Dee. "It isn't funny."  
  
"Not really. The sooner the rookie learns that there are aliens who find humans attractive the better off he'll be."  
  
"He's not ready. If we weren't so short of personnel this year he wouldn't even be at this conference. You at least would know what you were dealing with."   
  
"He'll be all right," said Zed confidently. "Humans and Stanbaerians aren't physically compatible."  
  
"Only in theory. It's never happened. Stanbaerians and Humans are only just now really getting to know each other, but that may not stop that Stanbaerian from trying. That's their prince, and he looks like he's used to getting what he wants."   
  
They watched as the Stanbaerian licked the back of one of Kay's hands.   
  
A few days later Zed and Kay were sparring at the MIB gym. Zed had Kay in a hammerlock.   
  
"Whadaya going to do, huh!?" Zed was shouting. He had a good grip on the smaller man. "Whadaya going to do?! A move Zed didn't even see happen had him on the mat a second later.  
  
"Wha...how'd you do that?" panted Zed. Both men were breathing heavily.  
  
"If I told you, it might not work next time." Kay was grinning in triumph. It was the first time he had bested Zed.  
  
"Huh," puffed Zed. "That's enough for me."  
  
Zed sat up as Kay sat down beside him. "You're developing some good moves, kid; but remember to keep building your strength."  
  
Kay pulled his sweatband off his head, bringing up his knees to rest one of his arms on them while using the other to balance his torso. Zed did the same.  
  
"Ah, it's great sparring with ya kid." He reached over and ruffled Kay's hair, a mane most men would have given their all to have. Kay broadly smiled back.  
  
  
A short time later they were in the showers. Zed glanced briefly at Kay, who was unselfconsciously washing his hair beside him. That was when he saw it. "What's that?" he asked the younger man.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your hand."  
  
"What about my hand?" Kay looked at the palm of his left.  
  
"Other hand, other side."  
  
Kay looked at the back of his right hand. There was a red mark.  
  
"Looks like you've got yourself a little burn there. How'd it happen?"  
  
"I don't know,"  
  
"Well, it doesn't look like you need to do anything for it."  
  
Zed continued to wash. After a short while he noticed a lack of the usual cheerful chatter from Kay.  
  
"You're being unusually quiet." Zed noticed the youth seemed distracted. He had his arms crossed and was staring down at his feet. "What's the matter, kid? Lose your soap?"  
  
"Zed?" Kay's voice was tentative. "Do you ever get the feeling you're being watched?"  
  
"Sure, lots of times. Comes with the territory. Thank goodness for neuralizers."  
  
He looked at Zed. "No. I mean like, ALL the time."   
  
"What, you mean now?"  
  
Kay nodded.  
  
Zed shook his head. "There's no one here but the two of us."   
  
Later on Zed was putting the finishing touches to his tie. He noticed Kay was having trouble with his. "Come here Helpless," Zed stood up from the bench on which he was sitting as Kay came to him. Quickly Zed had the clumsy job undone and sharted over.  
  
"You seem all thumbs all of a sudden. Still feel like you're being watched?"   
  
"You think I should tell Alpha?"  
  
"How long have you been feeling this way?"  
  
"For the past few days. Ever since the reception."  
  
Zed chuckled. He was still getting a kick out of that.   
  
"Seriously, Zed. Do you think I should tell Alpha?"  
  
Zed pondered as he finished the tie. "No, I don't think you have anything to worry about"  
  
"There! All done." Zed let go of Kay's tie. "Don't worry Kay. You're probably just feeling a bit paranoid. It'll be all right. B'sides, we're the Men in Black. We're tough guys, Heh?  
  
Kay gave Zed a small smile.   
  
"Heh?" Zed lightly tapped Kay's jaw with his fist and the smile grew, lighting up the younger man's face.   
  
"That's the spirit! Come on, we'd better get some coffee." He patted Kay's shoulder as they left the gym.  
  
In a while they were going through the cabinets in the kitchenette.  
  
"Nothing here," said Zed, closing the cabinet he was looking in.  
  
"Nothing here either," said Kay from across the tiny room.  
  
"Aw, shoot! We're always running out of coffee."   
  
"Maybe there should be someone in here just for keeping track of that."   
  
"Sounds good. Being on 37 hour days really puts a premium on coffee but Alpha would never approve."  
  
"I saw the supply truck earlier, maybe we've got more and it hasn't left the garage yet. I'll go check."   
  
"You do that. And Kid..."   
  
Kay paused at the door.  
  
"It'll be all right."  
  
Kay smiled that infectious grin of his and gave a thumbs up as he left.  
  
* * * * * 


	8. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 8

"Are you telling me that Kay was kidnapped by an alien, who had the hots for   
him?! " Jay was asking.  
  
"I'm saying exactly that," said Zed, "Though his attacker had help grabbing   
him."  
  
"Attacker?! You mean he was - hurt?"  
  
Yes. Very badly. An attempt to mate was indeed made."  
  
"Huh!" Jay was still trying to assimilate what he had   
heard. "That-that explains Kay's behavior. I've seen rape victims before when   
I was with the NYPD, why didn't I recognize it with him?!"  
  
"Kay's case was most unusual. Stanbaerian's have a complicated   
reproductive system, and we thought a joining with humans would be   
impossible. It had never happened before. No one knew what effect   
such a mating would have `til it happened to Kay. He was so badly   
traumatized we had to neuralize his memory of it. It wasn't a   
completely successful procedure."  
  
"There's more, isn't there?"  
  
"It wasn't just a rape of his body, but of his mind as well."  
  
Jay gasped.  
  
"The damage to his body alone was horrible enough all by itself. The saliva   
of Stanbaerian males is acidic, and licking the epidermis of their mate is an   
important part of their foreplay. By the time Kay was found he had lost   
nearly every inch of his skin."  
  
"No...!"  
  
"He had broken bones, and various toxins and abrasions were also   
found in his body at different points. Had the attacker not been stopped Kay   
would have surely died."  
  
"Ah! You mean there would have been more!?"  
  
"At the time they were found, Kay's attacker was ... He had mistaken Kay's   
navel for..." Zed was momentarily at a loss for words. "Kay was hurt very   
badly" He finished.  
  
"And it hasn't stopped there," Zed added. "I just got word that his   
attacker is going to make another attempt. During the conference."  
  
"Whoa!"   
  
Jay sat in stunned silence. "Let's get Kay out of here," he   
whispered. 


	9. Chapter 9

As Zed and Jay made their plans Kay had finished his time   
in the gym and was now prepared for duty, complete with MIB issued   
black suit. But not just any black suit. He had put on his best one   
in preparation for a visit from Aileen, who was on her way to Earth   
to act as additional security for the conference.  
  
Kay stood by in the landing bay as her ship arrived. His face   
seemed its usual stony self but to those who knew him best there were   
signs of eager anticipation. He loved Aileen and rarely had a chance   
to see her. Their relationship was progressing very slowly due to   
long distance and the demands of duty. There was, however, another   
reason; one that Kay could never seem to explain to anyone much less   
himself, but he didn't have to. Aileen seemed to understand that he   
wanted to go slow on matters of the heart and seemed to like it that   
way herself.  
  
Kay stepped forward as Aileen came down the ramp of her   
transport.  
  
"Hello, Kay," she said huskily. Her eyes spoke volumes.  
  
"Aileen." Kay briefly lowered his head in a tiny bow, his eyes   
never leaving her face. "Care to join me for a cup of coffee?"  
  
"I'd like that."  
  
A short time later Kay was bringing two cups of coffee over to a   
table where Aileen sat. He put one cup down at the opposite end of   
the table and continued one pace more to hand her the other.   
  
Aileen reached for it, but instead of simply taking it she   
slipped her tendrils out of the fingers of her human suit and wrapped   
the delicate appendages around the cup in a way that also covered   
Kay's hand.  
  
Kay froze in his movements. When he showed no signs of   
resisting she wrapped the tendrils of her other hand around that hand   
as well.  
  
A few more seconds passed and Kay brought his other hand around   
to warmly clasp hers.   
  
While their hands were still around the cup, Aileen put her lips   
to the cup and took a sip, one corner of her mouth barely brushing   
him.  
  
Kay's heart, already thumping more than usual, greatly increased   
its rhythm. He closed his eyes and sighed, resisting the urge to   
kiss her hands. Instead of doing just that he gently disengaged the   
cup from her hands and turned it to take a sip from the same spot.  
  
Unseen by Kay or Aileen, Jay and Zed were watching the couple   
from the observatory deck.   
  
"I'm glad Aileen will be going with us," said Jay. She's been   
good for him, and they so rarely see each other."  
  
"You've also been good for Kay," said Zed. "Remember that."  
  
"What are you going to tell her?"   
  
"The same thing I'm going to say to him. That this trip is   
really to protect you."  
  
"Don't you think Aileen should have a better idea of what she'll   
be dealing with?"  
  
"Under no circumstances should even the word "Stanbaerian" be   
mentioned to either of them `til it's possible for you to talk to her   
alone. Kay will suspect something if I talk to her privately on a   
mission that involves him. That neuralization procedure he received   
has always been somewhat unstable. He doesn't need to remember   
anything of what happened."  
  
Zed headed for the nearby stairs that would take him down to the   
couple. "Make yourself scarce."  
  
"I'll go pack." 


	10. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter Ten

In a matter of hours Jay, Kay and Aileen were ready to go. Zed   
spoke once more to Jay while Kay and Aileen were occupied in loading   
the camper. "Remember, no communication for at least two weeks. Let   
me be the one to call you. Don't tell me where you are or what you   
are doing. The less I know about it the better."  
  
"Almost finished, Sport." called Kay. He was in civilian   
clothing, as were also Jay and Aileen.  
  
"I wish I could send more with you, but too many MIB agents   
attract attention. Besides, I still have to provide security for the   
conference."   
  
"I won't let you down, Chief!" beamed Jay.  
  
"See that you don't. Kay's life is at stake."   
  
"Ready, Sport!" said Kay, as he and Aileen climbed into their   
seats, Kay taking the driver's side. They were joined by Jay.   
  
The waving Zed was soon left behind.   
  
"God speed." Murmured Zed. "And have a safe and happy birthday,   
Kay." 


	11. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 11

Kay was dreaming that he was running for his life. He didn't   
know what from, only that he was terrified. As he ran he heard a   
voice. Too low to hear at first it increased in volume 'til he began   
to make out words.  
  
"...OFF of me... stop it...Give that back! Let GO...!"  
  
Kay's eyes opened with a shart. He was in the front passenger   
side of the camper. Aileen was beside him, driving. He remembered   
Jay was sleeping in back.  
  
"You looked like you were having a nightmare," said   
Aileen. "Care to talk about it?"  
  
Kay looked briefly around.   
  
"Aileen."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Zed said that we were to let Jay think I'm the one being   
protected."  
  
"And?"  
  
"So all the destinations on this road trip are planned on my   
interests."  
  
"And you think the real reason for this trip concerns you. That   
you ARE being the one protected."  
  
"Sound plausible to you?"  
  
"Not really. First of all, keeping you in the dark would not   
help. You're a very capable fighter and would be a better aide in   
your own defense if you had some idea what you were up against.   
Secondly, if it concerned you I would be in on it too, and I know I'm   
not. You know it too. We have not been really separate the whole   
time we were in New York. Not once was there a chance to speak with   
Zed on this matter without the other present. Only Jay has talked to   
Zed alone."   
"Then again, there's the possibility that Zed simply tricked you   
into taking a vacation."  
  
"He wouldn't do that during a conference, that's when he needs   
us most. It's definitely intended for someone in this camper to stay   
out of New York, and timing indicates it concerns the conference.   
Consistent with what we've been told."  
  
"Maybe we're getting somewhere here. Got any alien conference   
horror stories to tell, in which you yourself were specifically the   
target of someone?"   
  
Seconds passed as Aileen drove in silence, before realizing she   
had not received an answer.  
  
"Kay?"  
  
She took her eyes off the road for a quick glance at her   
companion. He had a blank look on his face.  
  
"Kay?"  
  
He snapped out of it. "Didn't catch that. What did you say?"  
  
Aileen thought before answering. "Nothing, you were sleeping."  
  
She watched as Kay closed his eyes. It was as though the entire   
conservation had not taken place.  
  
She made a mental note to have a private talk with Jay. 


	12. Wishful Thinking Snydrome Chapter 12

Back on Stanbaer, Darreal was thinking back on what she knew of   
what had happened between Baseen and Kay. Her thoughts began with   
that conference on Earth.  
  
"You forget son," Ragar was saying. "Those are Earth men."  
  
Baseen didn't seem to hear as he ran off like a child set loose   
in a candy shore.  
  
"Should I be concerned for our womenfolk, Your Highness?" asked   
Alpha.  
  
"You needn't fear for them, Alpha. Your women more closely   
resemble our very young children, save for the obvious size   
difference. Please bear with me on my son. This is the first time   
he has been off our planet."  
  
Darreal saw her son with one of the humans, and she walked over   
to join them.  
  
Baseen was staring intently at the human.   
  
She spoke to her son, but he didn't seem to hear.  
  
Agent Kay broke the awkward moment by taking both hands to one   
of Baseen's large one's and shaking it. "Hello!" beamed the   
earthling before him. "You must be one of the Frellillians!" The   
human then let go of his hand.   
  
"Oh. Heh! Forgive me if I was too bold. This is my first year   
with MIB as an actual agent and I still haven't gotten used to   
meeting off-worlders."  
  
Darreal smiled.. "We are not Frellillians. We originate from   
the planet Stanbaer."  
  
"Stanbaerians?" asked Kay, smiling innocently.  
  
Baseen then took both of the human's hands into his own. "Kay.   
What a lovely name. Is it true that humans are considered adults at   
a much earlier age?"  
  
To Darreal's acute embarrassment, Baseen licked the back of one   
of the human's hands. Kay's smile had faded, which would have been   
the only proper response for a Stanbaerian female. "I'm on duty."  
  
Just then Ragar and another human arrived. The new human placed   
his hand on the other's shoulder. "Back to work agent."  
  
The two humans then left. "What a charming earthling, "said Darreal.  
  
"Baseen!" whispered Ragar angrily. "Must you embarrass me? That   
was an MIB agent, here for security reasons only, not for you to   
trifle with!"  
  
"Father, did you see? It was only the briefest of tastes, and   
she was the most delicious thing I have ever experienced. I must   
have her!"  
  
"No, I forbid it!"  
  
"But Father, if she's old enough to be with the MIB..."  
  
"As long as I'm your ruler as well as your father you will obey   
our laws in addition to the laws of whatever planet you're on! In   
two weeks we will be off-world and that will be the end of it, and   
don't let me catch you watching this one."  
  
Ragar then stormed off.  
  
"Mother...!" beseeched her son, turning to her.  
  
"Don't worry my son. I have a plan, and once the deed is done   
your father will come to realize that the two of you are so meant to   
be together."  
  
* * * * *  
Darreal decide to make a brief check on her son. She paused out   
side the door to Baseen's inner chamber and listened. From inside   
were coming scream after scream. Odd, she thought, the laving was   
taking an unusally long time, but it was obvious that her son was   
throughly enjoying himself. Shrugging, she went on her way.  
* * * * *  
Sometime later she checked again. The human was now groaning   
and sobbing. Nodding in satisfaction, she left again.  
* * * * *  
This she was to learn only years later, as told to her by Ragar.  
  
Ragar had slammed open the door to Bassen's inner   
chamber. "Baseen!"  
  
What he was about to say next was lost when he saw what was in   
his son's arms.  
  
"Baseen... he asked in horror. What have you done...!?"  
  
Baseen turned frightened eyes to his father. "I-I can't find   
her lave, father. I've looked and looked, tried everything. She   
won't respond. Why can't I find her lave?"  
  
"Son , what has happened to you?"  
  
It was clear that Baseen, sole heir to the planetary rule of   
Stanbaer had gone quite mad.  
* * * * *  
"Baseen." Darreal had asked. "Did something go wrong between   
you and Kay? Your father never speaks of it."  
  
Her son was silent as the tears sharted to flow yet again. In   
the several years he had been institutionalized, he had shown very   
slow progress. Finally he spoke. "I need to see her, Mother...talk   
to her...but Father only listens to Alpha..."  
  
It was then that Darreal made the next fateful decision.  
  
"Don't worry my son. I have a plan that will expand Alpha's   
mind, and once he is able to see a bigger picture I sure his view   
will be changed." 


	13. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 13

Zed was sitting at his desk looking at his computer. On the   
screen were still and moving images of days gone past. Photos and   
video of the MIB family in various events as well as routine life   
came and went. Then an image came up that Zed froze.  
  
It was Kay the way he was before, with that already famous   
grin; full of life and innocence. Involuntarily, Zed's mind went   
back.  
  
Zed had noticed there was a crowd forming in immigration. He   
went his way through them til he saw Dee standing nearby.  
"What's going on?" he had asked Kay's pardner.  
  
"It's Kay. The Stanbaerins finally got him stabilized. He's   
been brought home."  
  
Zed watched with the crowd as a dark capsule, large enough to   
hold a human body was carefully moved by in the direction of the   
Medical lab.   
  
"It - looks like a coffin," said Zed in a stricken tone. "It's   
even being moved like a coffin."  
  
Dee gave Zed a distainful look. "Appropriate, wouldn't you   
say? I'm pretty sure some part of him IS dead..." He tapped Zed on   
the chin with his fist. "...Zed."  
  
It had been done in much the same way Zed liked to tap Kay's   
chin, but there was force behind it. Zed barely noticed. What had   
he done?!   
  
That evening after MIB had shut down for what it had for a   
night, Zed sneaked into the medical lab. He just had to see Kay. The   
capsule containing Kay had been replaced by another that was   
connected to various medical devices. Tubing came in and out of it   
and there were the sounds of a respirator as well as a heart monitor.  
  
The capsule itself was also covered by a sheet. Zed's hands   
hesitated over it, dreading the prospect of looking underneath.   
Gripping the sheet with both fists, Zed gathered his courage and   
pulled it off.  
  
Kay was completely submerged in a healing fluid. The ravages to   
his body could be easily seen.  
  
"No.... Aw, nooo..."  
  
He rested his palms on the capsule and fought back tears.  
  
"I'm sorry Kay...so very sorry. Should've listened to you...."  
  
A hand gently came down on Zed's shoulder and he turned to see   
the new visitor.  
  
"Alpha..."  
  
"It's all right Zed, it's only me. Let it out."  
  
Zed slowly put his head and arms down on Kay's capsule.  
  
"Let it out."  
  
The tears were flowing now.  
  
"I know." said Alpha, placing both his hands on Zed's back.  
  
Zed sobbed.  
  
"I know."  
  
Time passed, and eventually Kay was removed from the fluid and   
covered with an all-encasing suit much the same that burn victims   
used. Zed watched from the doorway of Kay's room turned sickbed and   
listened as Alpha read aloud from a book at Kay's bedside. Beside   
Zed was Dee.  
  
"They were finally able to get through to him enough to use a   
neuralizer," Dee was whispering.  
  
"What was he told?" whispered Zed back.  
  
"That he fell into a vat of acid during a bust gone wrong. It   
remains to be seen whether the procedure will hold."  
  
Kay's features were completely hidden, he neither moved nor   
spoke while Alpha read to him from "A Christmas Carol".  
  
Time passed.  
  
Kay was out of his body cast, and bandages he had received after   
additional surgery had replaced the burn suit. He had been wheeled   
out of his room for a game of chess with Alpha. Again Zed and Dee   
were observing them.  
  
"Alpha's been good for him," said Dee, as they watched the game   
from above through an observatory window. "And it looks like he'll   
have normal skin, thanks to Stanbaerian medicine; But I don't think   
he'll ever be the same, you can see it in his eyes. Something's   
definitely missing."  
  
Time continued to pass. Kay had made good use of his recovery   
period to learn various secret mind technics, courtesy of an   
apologetic Stanbaerian government, as well as familiarize himself   
with every bit of available MIB knowledge in addition to his   
rehabilitation. When it was determined that he would soon be fit for   
duty, he moved about freely, spending much of his time excerising.  
  
Zed had cautiously approached Kay during his first day back in   
the gym. Silently he watched as Kay pumped iron and observed the   
changes in his friend's appearance. The mouth that once always   
looked like it was about to smile now rarely expressed anything and   
the light of innocence had gone from his eyes. His spirit as well as   
his body had been wounded. As for his body, the muscles had   
continued to grow with barely a pause during his bedrest. His hair   
was growing back in thick as ever but he was keeping it shorter now,   
having just gotten it cut for the first time since it grew back.  
  
Zed walked over and reached out to ruffle Kay's hair. To Zed's   
dismay Kay ducked his head out of reach and got up from the bench   
press to walk over to some other equipment, choosing a punching bag.  
  
"Say," said Zed awkwardly, "You up to a little sparring?"  
  
"Later," said Kay simply, as he punched the bag. "Maybe."  
  
* * * * *  
  
In the present Zed had now switched to an image of Alpha, the   
way he was then, before he had been changed by an alien device that   
had altered his mind.  
  
Zed sighed. How had so much gone so wrong because of a mother's   
love for her only child? 


	14. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 14

Jay was looking through the lens of a camcorder at Kay and Aileen,   
who were seated together at one of the picnic benches of a rest   
stop. Aileen was smiling back at the camera. Kay was not.  
  
"Here we are on the last rest stop before Graceland." Jay was   
saying. "Com'on Kay, smile."  
  
Kay's face remained stony.  
  
"OH, so that's the way it's gonna be, eh? Aileen, do   
something. Tickle him!"  
  
After a brief, speculative glance at the human seated on her   
right, Aileen reached over and placed her hand on the back of his   
neck. Kay's expression was changed slightly but still unreadable as   
her hand moved. He picked that moment to pull out his raybans and   
put them on hiding whatever expression they may have had from the   
camera.  
  
"Okay then," signed Jay in defeat. "I'll getcha later..." He   
turned off the camera and turned towards the welcome center of the   
rest stop.  
  
Unseen by Jay or the camera, Aileen pulled her tendrils out of   
the back of Kay's collar. They had gone deep into his shirt.  
  
Kay turned to her. "That was very wicked of you, young lady."   
His expression was still unreadable.  
  
He then got up to follow Jay to the welcome center.  
  
Aileen bit her lip and held her breath. That had been the most   
intimate thing that had happened between Kay and she. Had she gone   
too far?  
  
To her relief Kay paused in his walk to look back at her over   
his shoulder. He removed his raybans. His eyes gleamed with warmth   
as he smiled slightly.  
  
Happily, Aileen moved to join him.  
  
Once inside the center, Aileen found herself feeling suddenly   
shy and awkward. She sensed that she and Kay had reached a   
crossroads in their relationship and the very air seemed charged as   
he looked at her silently. She busied herself looking at pamphlets   
as Jay headed for the men's restroom. No one else appeared to be   
present.  
  
She heard the door to the restroom close behind her and seconds   
later felt the very welcomed touch of Kay's hand on the back of her   
neck.  
  
"One good scratch deserves another." Said Kay as he began a   
gentle rubbing.   
  
"Oh, bless you," she sighed happily. "But my people don't have   
fingernails, remember?"  
  
"My fingernails are yours," he said, as the rubbing became a   
gentle scratching between her shoulderblades.  
  
"Mmmmmm... I LIKE fingernails..."  
  
His other hand joined in and he was alternately rubbing and   
scratching most of her back.  
  
Unseen by either of them, Jay was peeking through the restroom   
door and using the camera.  
  
"Gotcha...!" He whispered to himself gleefully. 


	15. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 15

Back in MIB HQ Zed was getting ready to leave his office for the   
centurion night. It was quiet now and hardly anyone was about.   
Things were going smoothly at the conference and Baseen appeared to   
be behaving himself. Zed knew it was just the calm before the storm.   
  
Zed paused on his way out of his office and looked back at his   
computer. He badly needed rest but the urge to think of the past was   
too great. He decided a few more minutes wouldn't hurt and went back   
inside to sit before the monitor.  
  
In a moment he had a picture on the screen of Alpha standing   
next to Kay. The next thing he knew, there was a flash behind him.  
  
Zed turned in his seat to see the not entirely unexpected sight   
of Alpha towering over him. It was not unusal for Alpha to come and   
go anywhere he pleased despite security measures. It was one of the   
things that made him so dangerous. He looked very different from his   
picture.  
  
"Reminiscing, Zed? Should I be flattered?"  
  
Zed glared at him in silence.  
  
"Let's cut to the chase then." He grabbed Zed by the front of   
his shirt. Where is he? And don't insult my intelligence by   
asking `who'."  
  
"Do your worst," grated Zed, then laughed. "Even I don't know   
where he is."  
  
At the approaching sound of a voice Alpha hid Zed in his   
recently acquired wings and pushed a button on a device strapped to   
his wrist. They both immediately became invisible. Alpha kept Zed   
silent with a huge clawed hand on his mouth.  
  
The voice belonged to Agent U as he was talking to another   
agent. He could be heard clearly as they passed by Zed's office.   
  
"I just don't understand it. At a time when every agent is   
needed Zed sends Kay on a vacation..."  
  
The two passerby's were then shartled by the sight of Alpha   
appearing in Zed's office with Zed in his grip. After a brief   
triumphant look at Zed, Alpha dropped him and disappeared.  
  
Zed sat up from where he was sprawled on the floor as the two   
agents rushed to his aid.  
  
"Damn!" he shouted at no one in particular. "He knows!" 


	16. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 16

Meanwhile, in a roadside cafe, Jay and Aileen were   
singing "Happy Birthday" as Jay carried three cupcakes to the table   
where Kay sat with Aileen. One of the cakes had a lit candle. Kay   
had a genuine smile as that cupcake was placed before him. He had   
begun to finally unwind as the `vacation' had progressed.  
  
Jay was happy for him, but also worried. Zed had said that   
Kay's birthday was when something was most likely to happen. He hid   
it and cheered with Aileen as Kay made a wish and blew the candle out.  
  
"What did you wish for, Kay?" asked Aileen.  
  
"It's also a birthday tradition not to reveal the wish," Jay   
explained to her. "Otherwise it won't come true."  
  
"Oh." Aileen was clearly disappointed. "I was hoping it might   
be something I could get for you, Kay."  
  
Kay looked at her silently and Aileen's heart fluttered. "Or...  
something..." she added.  
  
The cute comment Jay was about to make was cut off as he felt   
the communicator in his pocket silently vibrate. `No...!' he thought   
to himself. It was far too soon for Zed to be calling him.   
Something had to be coming down. Quickly he made an excuse. "Uh...I   
just remembered something I left in the camper. Be right back...!"  
  
Jay ran out of the café and dove into the camper, pulling out   
his communicator as he closed the vehicle's door. "I'm here Zed."  
  
Zed got right to the point. "Jay, have you had a chance to   
explain things to Aileen yet?"  
  
"No. Those two have been sticking together like..."  
  
"Not good. Move to Plan B."   
  
"What?! How did...!"  
  
"Alpha's moving much faster than we anticipated. He now knows   
Kay's on `vacation'. He KNOWS Kay's interests. What are you doing   
now, and don't tell me where!"  
  
"We're celebrating Kay's birthday at this café..."  
  
"Get back on the road and keep moving! NOW Jay!"  
  
Quickly Jay put away the communicator and ran back to the café,   
leaving the door to the camper open.  
  
Kay and Aileen looked up curiously as Jay walked into the café   
with an apparent calm. He came to their table and sat down on the   
side of Kay opposite of where Aileen was sitting. Jay raised his   
arms in an affected stretch and brought them back down, one coming to   
rest on Kay's shoulder.  
  
The next thing Aileen knew Kay had slumped against her in an   
apparent sleep.   
  
"Kay?"  
  
She saw the tiny injection device on Jay's finger as he took his   
hand off of his partner.  
  
"Jay! What are you...?"  
  
"Nothing to worry about folks." said Jay to the   
onlookers. "He's diabetic. We know what to do for him."  
  
Quickly, Jay pulled the limp body of his friend over his   
shoulder.   
  
"Com'on, let's go!" he said to Aileen, as he headed for the   
exit.  
  
Aileen was beside herself with worry as she ran out to the   
camper with Jay and helped him get Kay settled into one of the beds   
in back. Was Jay saying Kay was sick?  
  
"Shart driving." Said Jay to Aileen.  
  
"Where to? What's going on?!"  
  
"Anywhere!" I'll explain after I get Kay strapped in."  
  
Realization came to Aileen like a slap in the face. "So he IS   
the one being protected!"  
  
Quickly Aileen sharted the camper and moved out. Shortly after   
they were on the highway Jay joined her on the front seat.  
  
"I hope you're ready to tell, because I'm ready to listen."  
  
Jay put his hand on the back of his neck. "Well, do you know   
anything about the Earth/Stanbaerian Incident?"  
  
"Yes, the names of those involved were left out of the record to   
protect..."  
  
Aileen gasped and quickly brought the camper to a screeching   
halt to avoid going off the road.  
  
After the vehicle settled Aileen turned to Jay.  
  
"Kay....?!"  
  
Jay nodded sadly.  
  
Aileen turned her attention back to the road. "That would   
explain a lot." Then she went into professional protector mode.  
  
"Alright then." She said. "What's the plan? What do we do?"  
  
Suddenly there was a flash of lightening and to the horror of   
Jay and Aileen, Alpha was hanging by one arm from the roof of the   
camper over the windshield.  
  
"You'll do NOTHING!" roared Alpha in triumph. 


	17. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 17

"Alpha!" yelled Jay angrily. "How'd you find us?!"  
  
Without waiting for a reply Jay pushed the equivalent of the   
little red button on the LTD, for the camper, and it immediately   
began to morph into battle mode.  
  
Alpha was knocked off of the camper by this process and he   
tumbled onto the road in front of the camper.  
  
Inside the camper a panel slid open to reveal some weapons.  
Without wasting any time Jay and Aileen each grabbed one and began to   
fire.  
  
The projectiles and energy beams passed right through Alpha with   
little effect. He had become transparent.   
  
Too late Jay and Aileen realized that they had been firing at an   
image and not a real being. Before they could know it, Alpha had   
appeared behind them in the camper and knocked their heads together,   
causing them both to become unconscious.  
  
"I've always wanted to do that." Alpha laughed.   
  
He turned his attention to the camper's other passenger.  
  
Dangerously clawed fingers opened one of Kay's eyelids to reveal   
what Alpha already suspected. Kay had been drugged unconscious.  
  
"How very convenient," Alpha gloated. He produced a hypospray   
from within the robes he wore and pressed it to one of Kay's arms,   
releasing its contents into Kay's system.  
  
"This will assure you'll stay under long enough for what comes   
next."  
* * * * *  
Jay awoke with a shart.  
  
"Kay?"  
  
There was no answer, and no sign of Alpha. Aileen was beside   
him in the driver's seat, still out of it.  
  
With a rising panic Jay dove into the back of the camper to find   
Kay's bed empty.  
  
"Kay!?"  
  
He looked out the camper. Save for that vehicle the road was   
empty and the sun was beginning to set.  
  
"Kay!"  
  
Aileen awoke to see Jay tear out of the camper and run down the   
road. "KAY!"  
  
He ran back like a chicken with its head cut off. "KAYYYYYY!"  
  
Aileen jumped out of the camper and caught Jay as he was passing   
by.  
  
"Agent! Get hold of yourself!" She shook him. "You're not   
doing Kay any good like this!"   
  
"Kay...!"  
  
She slapped him and he came out of it.  
  
"Think Jay, THINK!"  
  
It was then that Jay realized his communicator was vibrating   
again. He whipped it out to find Zed's image.  
  
"What's happening?!" Zed demanded. I've been calling for over   
an hour!"  
  
"K-Kay. Alpha's got him."  
  
Zed was silent for a moment as he absorbed the unwelcome news.  
  
"Not good!"  
  
"What are we gonna do?!"   
  
"I've been informed of what Alpha's next move would most likely   
be." Zed declared. "Baseen will surely be in too big a hurry to wait   
til he gets Kay back to his planet. There's only one place on earth   
that will have what he wants."  
* * * * *  
Meanwhile, across the country at a hotel in Las Vegas, Baseen   
was pacing back and forth as he threw impatient glances at the door   
to the next room, imagining what was happening inside.  
  
"Patience, my friend," said Alpha calmly. "You've waited this   
long, surely you can wait a little longer."  
  
"Only my desire for everything to be perfect is holding me back   
now," said Baseen with a nervous laugh. How did you ever find her?"  
  
"I once entered her partner's mind,"  
  
Baseen laughed again, this time jovially. "You sly devil!"  
  
"While I was there I found a desire for Kay to get some rest.   
She even had a trip all mapped out in her mind. I took a gamble that   
Agent Jay would carry out this desire by making the trip real at the   
first opportunity. After that it was just a matter of catching up."   
  
Baseen turned his attention back to the other room and took a   
giddy breath.  
  
"To have her so close after so long, undergoing what she is   
undergoing now, is almost more than I can bear."  
  
Inside the other room, Kay was lying naked on a table. Three   
Stanbaerian females, looking like Japanese men, were painting symbols   
at key laving points on his body with a clear, sweet tasting liquid.   
They were hurrying to get him ready for the ceremony.   
  
* * * * * 


	18. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 18

Before long the still unconscious Kay was dressed in ceremonial robes and an alien telepathic priest had arrived. Though the priest's and Baseen's religions differed the religions of all telepaths had certain basic things in common, and for a marriage of minds to take place the services of someone with the skill and authority to discreetly unlock mental barriers was necessary.  
  
The priest was taken aback when he discovered that the bride was already asleep. It was traditional for a sleeping potion to be administered by the priest in preparation for the ceremony so important questions could be asked of the bride before it took effect. He had actually refused to reside before Baseen had solemnly confessed that this was not to be the first joining of their minds and bodies. The priest then applauded Baseen's move to make an honest female of the bride and the wedding was soon underway.  
  
The ritual somewhat resembled a human infant baptism. Baseen held Kay in his arms like a child as the priest spoke in Galactic Standard while retracing the symbol earlier painted on Kay's forehead, this time with a spicy tasting oil.  
  
Baseen licked his lips as he watched and listened. It was clear he wanted to shart the laving right then and there but he was determined that nothing went wrong this time. Alpha and some members of Baseen's court stood by to witness.  
  
The priest found himself struggling to open Kay's mind. Never before had he encountered such a strong mental barrier. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought the bride was an Earth male instead of the Stanbaerian female that the ruler of Stanbaer swore she was. Even then the barrier was a virtual fortress and he had never seen it's like. He redoubled his efforts and redoubled them again before finally sensing the barrier tearing away.  
  
Kay's chest rose and he groaned long and deep as his mind was opened. At the same time his eyes opened wide, but they remained glazed and unseeing. He was still unconscious.   
  
The priest smiled as he saw the bride's reaction. It was refreshing to come across such a relatively untouched mind. Briefly he wondered if the bride was indeed human but dismissed the thought. Baseen had been quite sincere and surely the ruler of an entire planet would not tell him such a lie. He finished the opening and discreetly and skillfully pulled his own mind out before sensing any of the contents. That was for the groom alone.  
  
The three Stanbaerian females then stepped forward to prepare the bride for the nuptials. Baseen reluctantly let them take Kay back into the other room before turning to the priest and kneeling before him for the rest of the ceremony.  
  
Alpha followed Kay and the females into the room. He was entrusted with the traditional role of guarding the bride 'til the groom could rejoin them.   
  
Kay continued to groan in his sleep as he was carried away. With the tearing away of his mental barrier the neuralization procedure he had received so long ago was beginning to unravel and he was sharting to remember the nightmare he had gone through as a youth. 


	19. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 19

Once again young Kay was at his first alien conference, holding in his excitement as he helped to provide security. Never had he seen so many aliens at once. He wondered if he would see members of the first race he had encountered.   
  
He was walking across the vast floor to relieve another agent going off duty when someone had taken him by the shoulder and turned him around. It was Zed. "... And uh, this is Agent Kay." Zed was saying.  
  
Kay looked up to see an enormous alien towering over him. Briefly he wondered if the alien's eyes were normally that way or whether he really was indeed receiving a strange look.  
  
He didn't recognize the species and looked to Zed for further introduction only to find that the other agent had gone.  
  
The alien was a big one. It looked something like a gargoyle. The continued silence was growing awkward when another alien came up and said, "Baseen, say hello to the nice human."  
  
The first alien remained silent and continued to stare, even after the suggestion was repeated.  
  
Kay decided to lighten things up and took the alien's large claw like hand into both of his own and shook it.  
  
"Hello!" said Kay in his most gracious tone, "You must be one of the Frellillians!"  
  
The first alien continued to stare and the other smiled. Kay then realized he didn't know the proper from of greeting for this species and let go.  
  
"Oh. Heh! Forgive me if I was too bold. This is my first year with MIB as an actual agent and I still haven't gotten used to meeting off-worlders."  
  
The second alien spoke, "We are not Frellillians. We originate from the planet Stanbaer."  
  
"Stanbaerians?" asked Kay, confused. Were these two aliens the same species, or just from the same planet? he had wondered.  
  
The next thing he knew the first alien had taken both of Kay's hands into his.   
  
"Kay", it said in a very deep voice. "What a lovely name. Is it true that humans are considered adults at a much earlier age?"  
  
Kay became very aware of the size of the Stanbaerian when it licked one of his hands.  
  
"And how old are you, little Kay?"  
  
Kay suddenly felt like prey and looked for a way to leave without causing possible insult. "I'm on Duty."   
  
It was then that Agent Dee showed up and took Kay by the shoulder. "Back to work Agent."  
  
Kay was so relieved to be led away he barely noticed the hand that had been licked was sharting to sting.  
* * * * *  
As the first day of the conference progressed Kay tried not to notice how the Stanbaerian Baseen kept staring at him. It was with vast relief that he went home at the end of the centaurian day.  
  
Kay didn't like the new feeling he was having concerning an alien. All his life before MIB he had dreamed of life on other planets and was delighted to learn for a fact that they existed. This delight had bordered almost on worship until today. He liked aliens and they seemed to like him, especially some of the telepaths. He and Alpha had even discussed him becoming a good will ambassader once he got more experience under his belt. But now, after the awkwardness of today, he wasn't so sure.  
  
Kay reached into his jacket and pulled out his comunicator, which was capable of a great many more things, and used it to generate a signal code that unlocked the door to his quarters.  
  
It was then that he found himself yawning and stretching as he put the communicator back into his jacket. Reopening his eyes from the yawn he was surprised to see that the door was ajar. He hadn't recalled swinging it open.   
  
Thinking nothing more of it he went inside.  
  
The first order of business was a shower. He was sharting to remove his clothing when he thought he heard a sound.  
  
It sounded like there was another presence in the room.  
  
Alert, he listened until he heard a sound very much like it coming from the environmental unit of his living space. Relieved, he continued to undress.  
  
His shower went on as usual, save for finding an itchy red mark on the hand that had been licked by the Stanbaerian, but when he came out of the bathroom he noticed a musky smell that hadn't been there before. He then noticed   
that the covers to his bed looked like they had had a weight on them,  
  
Kay searched his memory. Had he been careless in making his bed that morning? Had he sat on it afterwards?  
  
Kay absently scratched his itchy hand as he found his mind going back to the reception.  
  
Tying the belt to his bathrobe more securely to his waist, Kay considered the computer that was a part of his quarters and decided to use it before turning in. Perhaps it would be good to read up on Stanbaerians.  
  
While not as sophicated as the higher security computer at his desk, it gave him access to all data that was available to every MIB agent. There was, however, very little on Stanbaerians outside representations of the two sexes and a little cultural info. Kay uneasily noticed how strongly the females resembled human males, especially the young ones.  
* * * * *  
Over the next few days Kay developed the growing feeling he was being watched, especially during his private moments when he would smell that same musky scent. It was not something he could really put his finger on, just a feeling he was being stalked. He suspected the Stanbaerian prince but hadn't seen him since the reception. Kay was reluctant to express what he was thinking, and even more reluctant to believe any alien would present such a threat to him. And the alien concerned was so highly placed. It would never do any good for the budding diplomatic ties with Earth. Everytime Kay considered reporting his suspicions to Alpha he talked himself out of it, feeling foolish. Surely all would be well once the conference was over.  
* * * * *  
Coffee. He was looking for coffee.   
  
Young Kay stood at the walk-in entrance to the delivery dock and called out.  
  
"Hello! Anybody here?"  
  
There was no answer and no sign of anyone. The supply truck had come and gone, apparently leaving its delivery unattended; and the docking gate, the means by which the supplies had left the truck and the only other way in or out was closed.  
  
There were signs that the supply personnel had been there. Some of the boxes had been opened and the contents examined, probably to help confirm everything had arrived as ordered before it had been signed for.  
  
Sitting invitingly on top of one of the stacks of boxes was a can of coffee. Spotting it, Kay went inside.  
  
He picked the can up to confirm whether it was caffeinated and put it back down so he could take a pen from out of his black suit. He was taking a closer look at the supplies for paper on which to leave a note about the coffee when the door he had come in through was slammed shut by an unseen force.  
* * * * 


	20. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 20

At the sound of being trapped young Kay spun around and whipped out his noisy cricket, aiming it with both hands at the now closed door.  
  
"Who's there?!" he demanded. "Show yourself!"  
  
A figure appeared beside the door. It was Darreal.  
  
Kay hesitated. She looked for all the world like a kindly asian monk, as peaceful as they come.  
  
"Dearest Kay," she said kindly. "I've come to take you to your future."  
  
He didn't like the sound of that at all. "Don't come any closer! I'm armed!" he warned.  
  
It was then that Kay felt a tingling on the back of his neck, like his hackles were rising. Too late, he realized there were others in there with them, as two Stanbaerian males appeared on either side of him and each grabbed an arm and leg apiece.  
  
Kay cried out in frustrated anger as he was effectively held still. Darreal then appreached them, holding up an injection device.  
  
"Don't do this! Let me go!"  
  
"You will love your new life" said Darreal swoothingly, as she pressed the hypo to his shoulder. "I promise you will come to understand this."  
  
Kay knew no more as the drug took effect.  
* * * * *  
The next thing Kay knew he awoke on a bed not his own. He was still feeling drugged and his movements were slow as he checked for his weapon. As he suspected it was gone.  
  
He looked about the room, not recognizing the decor. Spying a window he got up shakily to take a look.  
  
Kay was shocked to see that it was a space portal, complete with stars and a planet he didn't recognize. He was in space! Away from Earth!   
  
Kay could see the planet actually loom larger as he watched. At what speed was the space craft going? How long had he been out? He had wondered when the door behind him slid open.  
  
It was Darreal with the two males that had grabbed him before. "We will be landing soon," she said as the two males approached Kay.   
  
Still groggy Kay tried to stall them. "I'm sure to be missed." he declared, consiously using a brave tone. "MIB is bound to be looking for me."  
  
"Their space technology isn't nearly as advanced as ours." said Darreal in a comforting tone. "Even if they already know where you are it will be weeks before they catch up. Don't worry my dear, you'll be safe. Baseen will not harm you for all the Universe."  
  
Kay didn't feel reassured as the two males grabbed him like before. Then the room faded and another took its place.  
  
Kay realized they must have dematerialized off the space craft and onto the planet of Stanbaer. He also noticed that the grogginess was gone.  
  
With nenewed strenght and energy he began to struggle aganist those who held him.  
  
"Sweet Little Kay, you've been brought to me at last!" came a disturbingly familar voice. It was Baseen.  
  
The two who held him placed his feet on the floor but continued to hold on to him as Baseen approached.  
  
In a moment Baseen had taken hold of Kay's tie by the knot with one huge hand. His grip secure, he nodded dismissal to the others and they let go to leave by the door. There was no sign of Darreal.  
  
Baseen laughed and turned with Kay as the young human circled around him and tried to pry his hand loose with his two smaller ones.  
  
"Hands off the suit!" yelled Kay.  
  
"Oh, so you CAN be feisty!"  
  
"I am an agent of the Men in Black and you are making a BIG mistake!"  
  
"No I'm not, because you won't be complaining. I've watched you, Kay. It is very obvious you are very much a creature of touch. You have this endearing need to TOUCH and BE touched....!  
  
"Not by the likes of YOU!"  
  
Baseen pulled him closer.  
* * * * *  
Kay cried out as the last of his clothing was torn away. His back was to Baseen's chest. The Stanbaerian had him held to him by one huge arm and was running his clawed hand through Kay's hair.  
  
"Shh,, shh, shh..."  
  
The hand moved down to rub over Kay's torso, the claws scratching. "Your skin feels so nice..."   
  
Kay was turned around and lifted up over Baseen's head. "How I have waited for this!" exsulted Baseen. "To have you like this, so close..."  
  
Kay's courage had been shed with his clothes.  
  
"I-I can't do this. Please don't."  
  
"Yes you can, yes you can."  
  
Baseen lowered Kay down and grabbed him by the hair, literally holding him up by it. Kay cried out and tried to lessen the pain in his scalp by hanging on to Baseen's hand, leaving Baseen's other arm free. Baseen used that arm to hold Kay to his chest as the other hand pulled Kay's head back, leaving the young human's neck and chest close to The Stanbaerian's mouth.   
  
It was then that Baseen flixed his tongue over Kay's chest.  
  
"Yuhh....!" Kay shuddered in disgust.  
  
"Oh, you taste so nice..." Another lick, same spot.  
  
"Gahhh...!"  
  
A few more licks and Kay became aware of a new pain.  
  
"Y-you're hurting me..."  
  
Another lick.  
  
"It hurts...!"  
  
Another lick.  
  
"It burns! You're burning me!"  
  
Bassen paused. "If course it burns, my so innocent earthling. It's supposed to. Be brave now, I'll reach your lave."  
  
Kay screamed as he fully realized his predicament. 


	21. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 21

Kay awoke with a shart and a gasp. That had been some nightmare.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that he was in an unfamiliar room and felt strange. All of his senses were working overtime. The smells of the room, though obviously clean, were almost overwhelming, as was the brightness of the light, the sound of his heartbeat, and the feel of what was very obviously his only article of clothing; which appeared to be some kind of ceremonial robe that covered him from neck to toe. He also felt retraints at his wrists and ankles. Restraints that were holding him in a now standing position. Three Stanbaerian females were loosening ties here and there on the robe.  
  
He tested the restraints with all his strenght, giving up after the forth try, at which time he managed to make them creak only a tiny bit.  
That tiny noise was like thunder in his ears. What had been done to him?  
  
The three stanbaerians continued their work as though he were still asleep.  
  
"In case you've been wondering..." came a voice that would have deafen him, had it really been that loud, ... "Yes, you've been drugged."  
  
There was no mistaking that voice. "Alpha," Kay hissed. His own voice sounding to his ears like steam being released from a boiler.  
  
The three Stanbaerian females made nervous gestures, reminding Alpha that he was in the presense of an opened mind.  
  
Alpha ignored them.  
  
"But that is a moot point now, since the drug has obiviously worn off."  
  
"What have you done to me?" Kay found his words shurring somewhat.  
  
"You've been made a part of a trade. Certain hard to find materials in exchange for ah, you. The sensations you 're experiencing are a result of your mind being opened in preparation for a telepathic mindlink."  
  
Alpha laughed. "You've just been married off to the ruler of Stanbaer!"  
  
"Sssstanbaer?" Kay searched his memory for the reference. It was hard to concentrate while being bombarded by so many sensations  
  
"Surely in your years as an MIB you've heard of te Earth/Stanbaerian Incident? The names had been left out to protect the innocent and not-so-inocent."  
  
Kay's eyes, which had been squinting, grew wide.  
  
"Ah, I see you're begining to remember. Well, it can't be helped. Can't make an omlette without breaking eggs."  
  
It was at this point that the door opened to admit Baseen. The huge alien stared intensely at Kay as though there was no one else present.  
  
"Ah." said Alpha lightly. "I see your night of wedded bliss is about to begin."  
  
At recognition of Baseen, Kay began to struggle agaist his restraints  
with a renewed effort born of desparation.  
  
It was then that Bassen noticed the restraints and looked in askance to Alpha.  
  
"For her own protection," Alpha lied. "You remember how shy she was the first time. Her resistance forced you to subdue her and you know how fragile her bones were."  
  
"That was very thoughtful." said Baseen. "Thank you Alpha, that will be all."  
  
"Bon Appetite'," said Alpha as he left. The others fokkowed him out.  
  
The door slammed behind them like a thunderous gong of doom and Kay flinched at the pain the sound had caused him. Gone was the tough, unfazable vetern MIB agent. He had regressed back to his youth on that first fateful night. He watched with a rising panic as Baseen approached him.  
  
"We are reunited at last My Love!" exsulted the Stanbaerian.   
  
Kay cringed as Baseen reached out and pulled loose the last remaining tie on the robe, which was at Kay's neck, causing the whole outfit to fall off of Kay's now naked body and on to the floor as it was designed to do.  
  
At the feel of air on his bare skin Kay sharted to breathe more quickly.  
  
"Yes, I'm excited too," said Baseen huskily, as he stared at Kay. Slowly he inspected the human's quivering form with his eyes and hands, his claws stratching as they glided over and over Kay's flesh.  
  
Kay was unable to cry out from the pain. He was sharting to hyperventilate and was capable of litle more than gasps.  
  
Baseen finished his inspection as he came back around to face Kay again. "I had not thought it possible, but you're even more beautiful than before."  
  
Baseen totolly misinterpetated the cause of Kay's gaspng. "Patience, Sweet Kay. This time when our minds join it will be forever!"  
  
With that, Baseen opened his mouth and dipped his tongue down towards Kay's chest.   
  
Kay turned his head, closed his eyes and managed to catch enough breath to scream.  
  
"nnnnnNAUGHHAHHH... !! 


	22. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 22

THE WISHFUL 21  
  
The MIB issue camper was roaring towards Los Vegas as Jay talked to Zed on his communicator.  
  
"Zed, what if we're too late? Can he be neuralized again?"  
  
"I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that,"said the head of MIB. "It would have to cover decades. Kay would lose a lot of invaluable training and experience even if it managed to work."  
  
"What if we're - very too late?"  
  
Zed didn't even want to think about it. "Just get there, Jay! Help is on it's way. Are you still getting the signal?"  
  
Jay looked at the onboard monitor on the dashboard. It showed a blip on a directional grid which would hopefully take them straight to Kay.  
  
"Yeah!" he confirmed.  
  
"Let's hope it means what it says it does!" said Aileen, who was driving furiously.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In a short while they were driving down The Las Vegas Strip. Aileen watched the monitor as she drove and Jay had activated the finder on his communicator.  
  
The signal led them straight to a dumpster.   
  
Jay and Aileen looked at each other. For the first time he saw fear in her eyes.  
  
"It's not him," Jay asserted. "I promise you it's not him."  
  
"You can't make such a promise and you know it."  
  
Jay wanted to rebut her statement but found himself silenced.  
  
"Wait here," was all he could say.  
  
Watching the signal on his communicator Jay got out of the camper and ran towards the dumpster.  
  
Upon reaching the receptical Jay hesitated before opening the lid. "Please, if there is a God..." he whispered, before flinging the lid up.  
  
Jay nearly gagged as the stench assailed his nose. There was the buzzing of numerous flies as he desparately dug about with one hand while holding the signal detector in the other.  
  
Jay gasped as his hand closed on that which he sought, and from out of the dumpster he pulled a bloody wad of tissue.  
  
Quickly he unwrapped the wad to find that which he had been seeking.   
  
Making a fist he crumpledthe tissue back into a ball and ran back to the camper.  
  
Aileen watched Jay's grim return with wide eyes. He appeared to have something in his hand.  
  
Jay did not shown her what it was, placing it in his breast pocket.  
  
"I found Kay's locator chip," he explained. "All MIB agents are implanted with one. Alpha must have removed it."  
  
Tears of both fear and relief flooded Aileen's eyes.  
  
"Hey. We'll find him." Jay tried to reassure her. He put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
The tears flowed freely then, but she made not a sound. Somehow that seemed the deepest hurt of all.  
  
Then, as though realizing Kay needed her, she snapped out of it. "Where to next?"  
  
Jay pulled up another screen on the monitor. It was a map to the temple Baseen must have used the services of.  
* * * * *  
Upon their arrival Jay and Aileen explained things to the priest who had performed the mind joining service.  
  
The telelpath was quite distraught when he had learned what he had unwittingly played a part in. Among some telepaths, to join minds with a human was considered akin to child molestation on the telepath's part. He not only told the agents where he had performed the ceremony, he insisted on coming along. Jay contacted Zed on this and Zed insisted that the priest do exactly that, saying that Kay would need all three of them, and yes, additional help was on it's way.  
* * * * *  
Time seemed irrovocally lost as they located the hotel and made their way in. The door to the room they were seeking was heavily guarded. It didn't look like they would be able to get in without backup. It was then that the help Zed had promised arrived.  
  
It was Darreal herself. With her was the captain of the Stanbaerian Guard.  
  
"I've come under the condition that MIB allows my Guard to handle the arrest. You take care of your own while we take care of ours."  
  
A call to Zed confirmed this. A curt order and the guards willingly left their post to join in on the arrest. Dareal used a key given to her by the hotel manager to open the door.  
  
THE WISHFUL 22  
  
Upon entering the room there was a deep angry voice. "What is the meaning of this?! How dare you!" shouted an outraged Baseen as he turned from where he stood.  
  
There was the flash of a neuralizer. Belatedly Jay covered his eyes. "Hey! I wasn't ready!"  
  
"Have no fear." said Darreal. "This was designed to work only on my son."  
  
Jay realized it was the truth as he beheld the blank look in Baseen's eyes and how no one else seemed to be affected. Of course Jay was also present but he knew he hadn't been affected in the same way he knew he was awake.  
  
As Darreal made the neuralization speech to her son Jay and Aileen began their search for Kay.  
  
It didn't take long at all. He was right behind Baseen, hanging limply from restraints that held him in a semi standing position.  
Most of his body from his knees to his jaw had been licked almost completely raw. His eyes stared blankly.  
  
The restraints were Stanbaerian Guard issue and the captian of said guard had the means to unlock them. In short order Kay was released and eased onto clean soft towels brought out from the bathroom by the priest.   
  
"I-I'll see if there's any more towels," said Jay thickly as he went into the bathroom the priest had just left.   
  
He closed the door behind him, but it didn't completely muffle the unmistakeable sounds of retching.  
  
Aileen held her tongue and covered Kay with the edges of the towels as Darreal continued talking to her son. She wanted to tell them what for but knew better than to say anything that could interfere with a neuralization speech. She kneeled down by Kay and listened as Darreal took her son back to his childhood.  
* * * * *  
Jay was just finishing up in the bathroom when he heard Aileen call out.  
"Jay! Help me with Kay!"  
  
Jay ran back into the room to discover all the stanbaerians gone.  
  
"Never mind them!" said Aileen quickly. "We must get all this saliva off of Kay!"  
  
The priest ran in to shart the water while Jay came out and helped Aileen to lift their fallen comrade as gently as possible.  
  
Kay was completely limp and didn't respond as he was carried over to and lowered down into the large bathtub. Aileen used the detachable shower head to run a gentle spray over Kay's ravaged body while Jay controled the flow of water. The priest prayed. All the while Kay stared blankly and didn't make a sound.  
  
"How I hate seeing him like this." said Aileen sadly.  
  
"He looks to be in shock," added Jay.  
  
"The problem is bigger than that." mentioned the priest hesitantly.  
  
"What does that mean?!" asked Jay darkly.  
  
"He's been through an obviously uninvited mind link."  
  
"Yes... Of course... I see..."  
murmered Jay sadly, remembering the time he himself had been mind probed by Alpha.  
  
"I'm not sure you do." inserted Aileen. She had been told by Jay of that time.  
  
"His mind has been opened for a permanent mindlink." added the priest.  
  
"Huh? You mean that Kay and that Baseen are now permanently mindlinked?! Wouldn't the neuralizer..."  
  
"No, it would not, but that's not the problem. His mind was opened for a mindlink between a male and female. Such links are canceled out when an attempt to form one is made between two of the same gender."  
  
"What does that mean to Kay!?" asked Aileen.  
  
"Unless he forms such a link now with someone of a different gender - he will die." 


	23. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 23

THE WISHFUL 23  
  
"I volunteer," said Aileen without hesitation.  
  
"I'm sorry," said the priest. "I can't in good conscience assist in the mindlinking of two individuals who know nothing of the ramifications..."  
  
"Do it." grated Aileen. "Or be held responsible for the death of an MIB agent!"  
  
"Wait a minute." interjected Jay. "What ramifications? Aileen, what are you volunteering for?"  
  
"A marriage of minds," explained the priest. "To save a life." He turned back to Aileen. "I will do as you say, but state my misgivings of essentially mindlinking a child to a child."  
  
"It will be better than a mindlink to a telepathic adult," said Aileen. "And it's not like we don't know each other."  
  
"Still I wish mightily we could get this human's consent," said the priest regretfully.  
  
"The damage has already been done," insisted Aileen. "You know this is the only way to repair it."  
  
"Very well. Let us begin."  
  
The priest was reaching for Aileen's temples when Jay spoke again. "Wait a minute, if you thought Kay was female when you opened his mind, wouldn't he have to join with someone male?"  
  
"The ritual was not that specific," said the priest. I prepared the way for a generic mindlink only because the religion of Baseen and the one I represent differ. He was planning a full stanbaerian ceremony once he got home but was unwilling to wait."  
  
"Then Baseen and Kay aren't really married?" asked Jay.  
  
"No. Not since Baseen was unable to form a permanent mindlink; but whoever forms a mindlink with him now WILL be married to him, and there's no going back on a telepathic marriage. Are you CERTAIN you are prepared for this?!"  
  
"Yes!" We don't have a choice anyway and you know it."  
  
"Very well..."  
  
THE WISHFUL 24  
  
As Jay continued to rinse off Kay's body the priest set about opening Aileen's mind and giving her instructions in the main room.  
  
Sometime later there was a knock on the bathroom door.   
  
"Agent Jay," came a whisper. It was the priest. "Have you finished?"  
Jay looked at the ravaged form of his friend and pardner. When would the medical team from MIB arrive? he wondered.   
  
Moving to get as close to the door as possible, Jay whispered back, "I got as much drool off as I can."   
  
"Let the tub fill to about three quarters, warm." added the priest. "She will be in shortly."  
  
After the large tub was finished Jay took some towels and laid them in the water over Kay in preparation of Aileen's entrance.  
  
When the door opened the priest came in and motioned for silence. Jay gingerly got up and left the bathroom.   
  
Jay was surprised to see Aileen in a large towel and apparently nothing else. She had even removed her human suit. In silence she went into the bathroom and the priest carefully closed the door behind her.  
  
"Uh, shouldn't we be putting bandages on him or something?" asked Jay weakly.  
  
"She needs to be in physical contact with him and he needs to stay in the water for now," whispered the priest.  
  
Jay called Zed. "Yo, chief, where should we meet the medical team?"  
  
"There's not one coming," said Zed calmly.  
  
"What?! How are... "  
  
"Kay already has you and Aileen. Has the Priest opened her mind yet?"  
  
"Well, yeah, but..."  
  
I need you to make sure Aileen and Kay are not disturbed. You are authorized to stay in that room and use your expense card to make sure you all have everything you need. Aileen will take care of the rest."  
  
"What's she gonna to do, kiss it make it well?"  
  
Zed smiled. "Precisely." 


	24. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 24

THE WISHFUL 25  
  
With the bathroom door closed behind her, Aileen gazed at Kay and the large tub which held him; and judged the tub big enough to accomodate the both of them without crowding. The hotel room was apparently designed for newlyweds.  
  
Stepping to the tub, Aileen looked at the towels which covered Kay. They more floated over him in the water then touch him, which was good considering his condition.  
  
Silently she debated whether the towels were a good thing. Disturbing the water could cause his towels and hers to rub against his now very tender flesh. Deciding it was for the best, Aileen let her towel drop to the floor and then carefully lifted Kay's towels out of the water and placed them to drain in the sink. Wringing them out would cause too much noise under the circumstances.  
  
Carefully, to disturb the water as little as possible, Aileen stepped into the tub and laid down beside Kay, her body just short of touching his.   
  
The telepathic priest had informed her that Kay had been set up as The Receiver, since he had been led to believe Kay would have the mind of a female. It was therefore required of Aileen to be The Giver in this first forming of their mindlink.  
  
Aileen searched Kay's face with sad concern. His eyes stared unseeing with a haunted expression.   
  
Carefully she reached over and closed his eyes with a light touch and smoothed some of his hair back into place; then she tenderly kissed each of his eyelids, one of the few places that were uninjured.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she pressed her forehead to his and began.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The first thing Aileen noticed upon approaching Kay's mind was a growing blizzard. It became colder and colder as she walked but she was warm and snug in a volumous cloak that was lined inside and out with a very soft and thick fur-like material.  
  
As she continued on her way through the growing snow and winds the cloak grew ever more volumious and furry. A sure sign she was nearing Kay's mind.  
  
Then she saw the unmistakable outline of a man's body in the snow and knew it represented Kay's mind exposed to the elements even as his body was.  
  
The cloak expanded and extended as though a living part of her, swiftly gathering up Kay's body-mind and enfolding him like the wings of a great bird sheltering its young; giving protection to Kay's mind from the cutting sensations buffeting his senses.  
  
* * * * *  
  
THE WISHFUL 26  
  
Pain, cold and fear. That was all Kay knew.   
  
Painful blistering cold assailed his tender, naked body and it seemed like he had known fear for a very long time, ever since that dark presense had penetrated him for the first time. He could sense it approaching yet again. Knowing it was futile, he turned and ran anyway, since there was simply nothing else he could do.  
  
Desparately his bare body floundered through the stinging snow as the presense came ever closer. He cried out in mournful despair as it came like a great bird and caught him up.  
  
Kay steeled himself, waiting for the worst, but surprisingly it didn't happen. It was not the cold leatherly wings of his tormentor that held him, but the warm soft wings of an angel.  
  
Cautiously, he dared a look at who was holding him, and his eyes beheld not his doom, but his salvation.   
  
"Aileen...!" he breathed joyously, like a drowning man taking a precious breath.  
  
Kay spoke in both mind and body as he woke to behold Aileen beside him  
  
He had found a port in the storm.  
He was safely home at last.  
  
* * * * * 


	25. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 25

THE WISHFUL 27  
  
"Aileen?" repeated Kay, this time as a question.  
  
"I'm here," she said lovingly, smiling gently.  
  
Kay sharted to raise his head to look down at himself but Aileen carefully pushed him back by pressing his forehead.  
  
"Baseen..."  
  
"Gone. Where he'll never hurt you again. How do you feel?"  
  
Too weak to push against Aileen's hand Kay helplessly casted his eyes about, taking in what he could of his immediate surroundings. There was no sign of Baseen, and if Aileen said he was safe then it must be so.  
  
He visably relaxed and answered her. "Numb."   
  
He swallowed and spoke again. "Thirsty."  
  
Carefully Aileen shifted her position to get closer to the water source of the tub and turned it on. Using the tendrils and palm of her hand she made a cup and caught some up to bring to him.  
  
Aileen's heart melted as Kay weakly accepted her offer, touching his lips to the side of her hand and drinking with growing enthusiasum. By the time she brought over a second handful he drank almost desparately.  
  
"More. Please."  
  
Aileen hesistated as she wondered how much he should drink at once under the circumstances. Kay caught the look on her face as she pondered.  
  
He briefly licked his lips. "How bad?" was quietly asked.  
  
Aileen knew he would not want her to mince words, so she didn't.  
  
"You have second degree burns over most of your body and first degree over most of the rest. I'm not yet sure if there is any third degree."  
  
Another thought occurred to Kay and once again he tried to raise his head only to have it gently pushed back.  
  
"You don't want to see. Trust me."  
  
Kay visibly paled as her words sank in. Then he closed his eyes as his face reddened when he realized how Aileen would know the extent of his injuries.  
  
"Kay, you can't worry about that now. You've got to concentrate as much as you can on getting well."  
  
He sighed softly and turned his face from her.  
  
"I can help you Kay. You've seen how compatible the biochemistry of my planet is to that of Earth. You know it's the best way."  
  
Kay remained silent, giving no sign he was listening. Aileen cupped his face in her hand but did not turn him to face her. "Please, let me help you. Will you trust me, My Very Dearest?"  
  
A moment later she felt Kay's lips mouth the inside of her hand, which was pressed against him. He then turned out of her hand to face her, his eyes shining as he said, "Always."  
  
Aileen was encouraged when he bravely smiled, looking more like the old Kay, and she sat up to reach over to the other end of the tub and release the water.  
  
Kay closed his eyes as Aileen leaned back and kissed his forehead before carefully rising out of the tub. His eyes were still closed as she got out and said, "I'll be back by the time the tub is empty, and then we'll begin. It won't be long, I promise."  
  
There was the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing. Kay sighed, his eyes still shut.  
  
Suddenly his eyes flew open as a thought occurred to him. He had not been able to see much more than Aileen's face and the ceiling and upper walls of the bathroom.   
  
Had she been naked? 


	26. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 26

While Aileen and Zeeltor talked the medical supplies had arrived in a number of boxes. Aileen signed for them and continued with Zeeltor.  
  
"Now show me the patient," Zeeltor had said.  
  
Aileen walked with the communicator to the bathroom door and knocked softly. "It's me, Kay. Dr. Zeeltor's on my com and wishes to see you. May we come in?"  
  
"Y-yes..."  
  
That didn't sound good. Aileen opened the door to find Kay shivering, and to her horror, she saw sheaths of some of what was left of his skin in clumps around the drain of the tub.  
  
Quickly she aimed the com at Kay for Zeeltor to see.  
  
Zeeltor was unusally silent as his screen showed a scan of Kay's body. Suddenly he was all business.  
  
"Raise the temperure of the room to 99 degrees." said Zeeltor briskly.  
  
"Got it,"  
  
"Now he'll need antibiotics and you'll need to remove all of what's left of the dead skin. There should be a box marked FX with the medical supplies."  
  
Aileen didn't like the sound of that but she hurried out to the main room with the com anyway.  
  
"Found it!"  
  
"There should be a small orange bottle marked the same, and three hyposprays."  
  
Aileen tore the box open. "Got them!" She hurried back into the bathroom.  
  
"Give him the blue hypospray first. It's automatic. Just remove the seal and press the business end to one of his arms."  
  
Aileen found a small patch of relatively uninjured skin and pressed the hypo to it.  
  
Almost immediately Kay's shivers increased dramatically.  
  
"Zeeltor! He's getting worse!"  
  
"Not to worry! That was a super rehydrating formula. He's simply coming out of shock and feels the cold more. Now give him the yellow hypo. This one will kill any nasty germs; and then the red. It should keep him nice and numby."  
  
As soon as that was done Zeeltor continued.  
  
"Now fill the tub with very warm water."  
  
Quickly Aileen scooped out the dead skin and sharted the water.  
  
"As the tub fills give him ALL the water he wants to drink!"  
  
Aileen couldn't help but smile at the sudden look of interest from Kay at Zeeltor's last sentence. Quickly she had her hands together and filled to overflowing with water as it came from the facet.  
  
Kay drank with singular purpose as she brought him handfuls upon handfuls of sweet, clear and sparkling water. Again and again he swallowed, cupping her hands with his own each time she brought them to him.   
  
Finally he could drink no more. Zealtor chuckled warmly. "Looks like both tub and patient are full!"  
  
Sated, Kay sighed and laid his head back, turning his face to one side and closing his eyes as Aileen smoothed back his hair.  
  
"Now comes the nasty part."  
  
At Zeeltor's words Kay's eyes reopened and Aileen looked worriedly at the communicator. Zeeltor was still smiling but with him that wasn't necessarily saying much.  
  
"Time to remove any and all remaining dead skin."  
  
Kay and Aileen exchanged glances as Zeeltor continued.  
  
"Just pour the entire contents of the bottle marked "FX" into the tub. It will do the rest."  
  
Aileen looked at Kay uncertainly as she picked up the bottle. His expression was unreadable, but he nodded uncouragingly.   
  
"Full of painkiller, remember?"  
  
Zeeltor heard him. "Oh this shouldn't hurt at all," replied the alien scientist. "I THINK."  
  
Reluctantly Aileen broke the seal and poured in the contents.   
  
Immediately there was an ominous swirling in the water and it began to foam furiously.  
  
Alarmed, Aileen watched as the foam rose and began to cover what little of Kay remained outside of the water.  
  
"Kay?!"  
  
He was completely hidden by the foam.  
  
Kay, is it hurting you?!"  
  
The heap of foam heaved and dipped as Kay dug himself out enough to reveal his eyes.  
  
"Nope. Kind of swoothing."  
  
Relieved, Aileen allowed herself another look at the foam encased Kay and found herself giggling.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is this what a bubblebath looks like?"  
  
Kay briefly glanced down at the tub. "Yep. Pretty much."  
  
Aileen made herself a mental note to get herself a bottle at the first opportunity.  
  
They passed the next twenty minutes in companionable silence, then Zeeltor came back THE WISHFUL 28b  
  
on Aileen's communicator.  
  
"The skin removal should be done by now." said Zeeltor cheerfully. "The next step is to drain the water and rinse off the patient."  
  
Aileen used the detachable showerhead to very gently rinse Kay off as the tub drained. As the bubbles left Ka's shyness seemed to return. He kept his eyes closed and remained silent with his face averted as Aileen scooped out the skin from around the now empty drain.  
  
"Now to prepare for the actual biochemical exchange."  
said Zeeltor, cheerful as ever. "There should be a green box with special material for burn patients to lie on. Take one out and spread it on the bed."  
  
Aileen opened the box and pulled out a folded sheet wrapped in plastic. After breaking the seal se spread it on the bed.  
  
"Now try and get the patient out of the tub and onto the burn sheet."  
  
Aileen went back to Kay. "Come, Kay. You need to be in bed so we can shart the healing."  
  
Reluctantly Kay accepted her help out of the tub and allowed himself to be led to the bed. Once in bed, however, he pulled up the edges of the burn sheet to over himself.  
  
"It's all right, My Very Dearest, you needn't be shy with me."  
  
"Don't exactly look my best," he mumbled.  
  
Zeeltor's voice came again from Aileen's communicator.  
  
"Now Agent Kay's urinary system is our next concern. The swelling simply must be brought down in time for when he needs to relieve himself. So you'd best shart there."  
  
At Zeeltor's words Kay's eyebrow lifted. However, there was considerablely more response when Aileen reached to pull he edges of the burn sheet aside from the area mentioned.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why shart THERE?" Kay gripped the edges of the burn sheet, preventing their removal.  
  
"Kay, you heard Zeeltor. This is our first concern!" Said Aileen gently.  
  
Still weak from his ordeal as well as from the move to the bed, Kay lost the tug of war with the sheet and watched in open dismay as Aileen leaned down over his groin.  
  
"Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoa whoa WHOA!"  
  
He made no further protest as Aileen proceeded to literally kiss it into wellness, staying still and silent til she had finished for the time being.  
  
Aileen smiled as she studied his genitals. The dangerous swelling had gone down considerably. Proudly she looked up to see Kay's reaction and saw the reason for his sudden cooperation.  
  
Agent Kay, the most feared human in the universe, had fainted. 


	27. Wishful Thinking Syndrome Chapter 27

With the bathroom door closed behind her, Aileen gazed at Kay and the large tub which held him; and judged the tub big enough to accomodate the both of them without crowding. The hotel room was apparently designed for newlyweds.  
  
Stepping to the tub, Aileen looked at the towels which covered Kay. They more floated over him in the water then touch him, which was good considering his condition.  
  
Silently she debated whether the towels were a good thing. Disturbing the water could cause his towels and hers to rub against his now very tender flesh. Deciding it was for the best, Aileen let her towel drop to the floor and then carefully lifted Kay's towels out of the water and placed them to drain in the sink. Wringing them out would cause too much noise under the circumstances.  
  
Carefully, to disturb the water as little as possible, Aileen stepped into the tub and laid down beside Kay, her body just short of touching his.   
  
The telepathic priest had informed her that Kay had been set up as The Receiver, since he had been led to believe Kay would have the mind of a female. It was therefore required of Aileen to be The Giver in this first forming of their mindlink.  
  
Aileen searched Kay's face with sad concern. His eyes stared unseeing with a haunted expression.   
  
Carefully she reached over and closed his eyes with a light touch and smoothed some of his hair back into place; then she tenderly kissed each of his eyelids, one of the few places that were uninjured.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she pressed her forehead to his and began.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The first thing Aileen noticed upon approaching Kay's mind was a growing blizzard. It became colder and colder as she walked but she was warm and snug in a volumous cloak that was lined inside and out with a very soft and thick fur-like material.  
  
As she continued on her way through the growing snow and winds the cloak grew ever more volumious and furry. A sure sign she was nearing Kay's mind.  
  
Then she saw the unmistakable outline of a man's body in the snow and knew it represented Kay's mind exposed to the elements even as his body was.  
  
The cloak expanded and extended as though a living part of her, swiftly gathering up Kay's body-mind and enfolding him like the wings of a great bird sheltering its young; giving protection to Kay's mind from the cutting sensations buffeting his senses.  
  
* * * * *  
  
THE WISHFUL 26  
  
Pain, cold and fear. That was all Kay knew.   
  
Painful blistering cold assailed his tender, naked body and it seemed like he had known fear for a very long time, ever since that dark presense had penetrated him for the first time. He could sense it approaching yet again. Knowing it was futile, he turned and ran anyway, since there was simply nothing else he could do.  
  
Desparately his bare body floundered through the stinging snow as the presense came ever closer. He cried out in mournful despair as it came like a great bird and caught him up.  
  
Kay steeled himself, waiting for the worst, but surprisingly it didn't happen. It was not the cold leatherly wings of his tormentor that held him, but the warm soft wings of an angel.  
  
Cautiously, he dared a look at who was holding him, and his eyes beheld not his doom, but his salvation.   
  
"Aileen...!" he breathed joyously, like a drowning man taking a precious breath.  
  
Kay spoke in both mind and body as he woke to behold Aileen beside him  
  
He had found a port in the storm.  
  
He was safely home at last.  
  
* * * * * 


End file.
